The invention relates to a drive for moving a wind deflector which is designed as a lamella, comprising at least one coupling mechanism by which the lamella can be adjusted from a non-use position into a use position and vice versa and which is articulatedly connected at one end to the lamella and at the other end to the roof frame.
To avoid air draft and turbulence, wind deflectors are often provided on cabriolets. To adapt to different operating conditions, for example driving with an open or closed top, said wind deflector may be designed to be adjustable.
German Patent Publication No. 10 2004 027 087 A1 describes a device for reducing draft in a cabriolet, in which device a wind guiding element is deployed in a speed-dependent fashion. The deployment takes place, however, in a pivoting movement, in which the angle of the wind guiding element varies, which is disadvantageous in terms of aerodynamics.
German Patent Publication No. 10 2004 017 642 A1 describes a device for actuating a wind deflector for a roof opening, with an articulated lever arrangement, which is designed as a scissor arm unit, being provided which moves the wind deflector from a stowage or non-use position, in which the wind deflector is arranged substantially parallel to the roof opening, into an operating or use position in which the wind deflector extends at an angle with respect to the roof opening. Here, the levers of the articulated lever arrangement extend substantially in the vehicle transverse direction.
It is an object of the invention to specify a drive for a lamellar wind deflector, which drive is of particularly simple and reliable design.
The drive according to the invention serves to move a lamella of a wind deflector on a cabriolet. For this purpose, the drive comprises a coupling mechanism, which is designed as a crank-rocker mechanism and which raises the lamella away from the roof frame in a substantially parallel fashion into the use position, and sets the lamella down on the roof frame into the non-use position. A crank-rocker mechanism (also referred to as crank rocker or crank mechanism or crank-rocker drive) permits a simple and reliable and also precise sliding, and therefore retraction and deployment, of the lamella in the direction of one of its surface normals, with the spacing of the lamella to a roof frame being reduced or increased in such a way that the lamella is raised obliquely forward and upward in a parallel fashion, and is moved obliquely rearward and downward in a parallel fashion. Here, the crank-rocker drive according to the invention converts rotary movements into rectilinear movements.
In this way, the lamella can be moved in a substantially parallel fashion instead of pivoting.
Depending on the embodiment, that drive may be manual or electric, manual examples including a hand drive or a foot drive, or electric examples including a machine or motor drive, to engage on the crank-rocker mechanism.
In a further embodiment, a plurality of rotary levers, which are designed as setting-out levers and/or drive levers, of the crank-rocker mechanism are arranged so as to be distributed in the width direction of the lamella.
The drive expediently engages on at least one of the drive levers. For this purpose, the rotary lever, which is designed as a drive lever, is arranged with a first rotary lever end so as to be rotatable about a lamella axle. The rotary lever is mounted at a second rotary lever end so as to be rotatable about a roof frame axle which is arranged on the roof frame and which is parallel to the lamella axle. The rotary lever has a slot which extends in a direction from the first rotary lever end to the second rotary lever end. A driven crank arm is provided which has a first crank arm end and a second crank arm end. At its first crank arm end, the crank arm is mounted so as to be rotatable about a crank arm axle which lies substantially parallel to the roof frame axle and which is arranged on the roof frame. At its second crank arm end, the crank arm has a rotationally symmetrical first pin which engages into the slot.
In a first embodiment, two rotary levers are provided, with the drive engaging on a rod mechanism which connects the crank arm axles of the two drive levers to one another. In this way, the two drive levers are caused to move in a positively synchronized fashion. For an extremely space-saving and simple arrangement of the drive, the drive levers are connected to one another at the frame side by means of the rod mechanism.
During operation of the crank-rocker mechanism, the drive engages on the crank arm of at least one of the drive levers in such a way that the lamella can be moved into the non-use position close to the roof frame by virtue of the relevant crank arm being rotatable such that the first pin assumes a position in the slot in the vicinity of the first rotary lever end. The lamella can be moved into the use position at a maximum distance from the roof frame by virtue of the crank arm being rotatable such that the first pin assumes a position in the slot in the vicinity of the second rotary lever end. In this way, the lamella can be moved at least in a direction of a surface normal of the lamella. The lamella is therefore moved in a parallel fashion. A slight movement component in a longitudinal or transverse direction likewise takes place.
In one preferred embodiment, in the use position, the crank arm assumes such a position with respect to the drive lever that a line, which lies parallel to the crank arm and which connects the crank arm axle and the first pin, is substantially perpendicular to a line which runs in a longitudinal direction of the slot. In this way, the lamella is locked in the use position such that it cannot leave said use position as a result of external forces without the crank arm being rotated in the opposite direction.
For stabilization, in the use position, the rotary lever which is designed as a drive lever is preferably supported on a second pin which is arranged on the crank arm in such a way that said second pin, in the use position, lies at an angle between the first line and the second line, such that the rotary lever abuts against the second pin.
In contrast to the drive lever, the setting-out lever does not have a crank arm. The rotary lever is articulatedly connected directly to the frame. In a simple embodiment, the rotary lever may be formed without a slot or groove.
At least one of the rotary levers, which are designed as setting-out levers and/or drive levers, can preferably be locked in the non-use position by a locking device, such that the lamella cannot be released from the non-use position as a result of relative wind or other influences. Such a locking device preferably comprises a spring-loaded bolt which engages laterally in a suitable way into the rotary lever in order to lock it.
The locking device is preferably actuated by Bowden cable. The locking device can in particular be actuated by an idle stroke of the crank arm when the latter is in the non-use position.
The lamella axles preferably lie substantially in the direction of a longitudinal extent of the lamella, which is arranged in the width direction or transverse direction of a vehicle. It is ensured in this way that the lamella is moved only in the direction of the normal to its surface and in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
In a first preferred embodiment, at least three rotary levers are provided, with the lamella axles of at least two rotary levers lying in a first alignment and with the associated roof frame axles lying in a second alignment. Said rotary levers serve as setting-out links or setting-out levers. The lamella axle of the third rotary lever lies in a third alignment which is spaced apart from the first alignment, and the associated roof frame axle lies in a fourth alignment which is spaced apart from the second alignment. Said third rotary lever serves as a drive link or drive lever and has a crank arm which is driven by a drive means. Each rotary lever lies parallel to each other rotary lever. In this way, as viewed from one end of the lamella, a parallelogram is formed by the roof frame and the lamella which lies parallel thereto and the rotary levers which lie parallel to one another. The lamella is thereby prevented from tilting.
In another particularly preferred embodiment, two rotary levers, whose lamella axles lie in a first alignment, with in each case one locking device are arranged in the vicinity of in each case one end of the lamella. Said rotary levers serve merely as setting-out levers and have no crank arm. The rotary levers which serve as setting-out levers are fastened, at the lamella side and at the frame side, in a pivotable fashion to the roof frame by means of the rotary lever. Furthermore, two rotary levers, whose lamella axles lie in the third alignment, are arranged in each case in a central region, which is spaced apart from the ends of the lamella, of the lamella, and are provided with crank arms. In other words: two inner, active rotary levers, which can be moved by a mechanical or electric drive, and two outer, passive rotary levers, which serve in particular for locking in one of the end positions, are provided for the substantially parallel guidance of the lamella away from the roof frame or toward the roof frame, and therefore for a linear setting-out movement. In the simplest embodiment, three rotary levers, for example two setting-out levers (also referred to as guide and locking levers) and one drive lever, are sufficient. The number of—active and/or passive—rotary levers provided is determined for example by the length and shape of the lamella which is to be deployed or raised.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference symbols in all the figures.